Hutt River

The Hutt River is one of the largest in the Wellington Region. With headwaters in the Rimutaka Range, the river flows through the Hutt Valley past Upper Hutt and Hutt cities before discharging into Wellington Harbour at Petone.

The Hutt River is very popular for swimming, trout fishing and other recreational activities. It is easily accessible from the Hutt River trail which provides a scenic walk and cycle path. Dogs are permitted.

Greater Wellington Regional Council monitors the environmental health of the river at nine locations, and recreational water quality at seven locations within this catchment.

Much of the upland catchment is located within the bush-clad Kaitoke Regional Park which is a key water supply area for the region’s four main cities. Further down in the valley the river and its tributaries flow through areas of agricultural and urban land use.

Environmental health and water quality in the Hutt River and most tributaries in the upper western part of the catchment (including the Akatarawa and Whakatikei Rivers) is generally very good. In contrast, some tributaries in the eastern part of the catchment have poorer water quality, for example, the Mangaroa River is affected by intensive agricultural land use while Hulls Creek, Stokes Valley Stream and the Waiwhetu Stream are affected by urban land use.